


Arms Unfolding (14x18 fix-it)

by heartbreakordeath



Series: Late Night Writes [10]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Canon Compliant, Destiel if you squint - Freeform, Fix-It, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-14 11:44:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18475573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartbreakordeath/pseuds/heartbreakordeath
Summary: The funeral scene was a weird scene to watch, as a destiel fan but also as someone who doesn’t like to make everything destiel.I kept thinking about Sam stopping Cas from going to Dean, and then I wrote what I thought might’ve happened if he hadn’t.





	Arms Unfolding (14x18 fix-it)

**Author's Note:**

> I know, I know, this is really late. Like, four entire days late. I wrote it two days ago, actually, but never got to post it. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you like this little thing, I wrote it on my phone in bed so I hope there aren’t any errors!

_**Hope** **I'm** **not** **tired** **of** **rebuilding**_   
_**’Cause** **this** **might** **take** **a**_ _**little** **more**_   
_**I** **think** **I'd** **like** **to** **try**_

 _ **Look** **at**_ _**you**_   
_**And** **feel** **the** **way** **I**_ _**did** **before**_

\- _Arms_ _Unfolding_ \- dodie

_**~** **~** **~** _

 

 _No_ , Sam’s face says. Cas’s chest presses against the arm that Sam has shoved at him, stopping him from reaching Dean.

 

 _Yes_ , says Cas’s face. _I have to_.

 

It must say more to Sam than he intended. He pulls his arm back, frowning with a look that screams _trust me, I’ve made the mistake before._

 

But Cas is different. He shakes his head. Sam considers him for a moment, something seeming to click in his mind. His face betrays no emotion, but he leans almost imperceptibly backwards out of Castiel’s way.

 

As Cas steps forward, Sam’s last expression warns _don’t make me say ‘I told you so’._

 

Dean hasn’t even seemed to notice this silent battle of wits, or whatever it was. He stands alone, entranced by the flames that flicker in the reflection of his eyes. Neither Cas nor Sam could know what he was thinking, but they could guess.

 

He doesn’t notice until Cas enters his personal space that he is no longer alone. Finally blinking, he reflexively takes a step back, away from the angel. A part of him thinks, _how dare he face me? How dare he try to make things right when it was his fault all along?_

 

The rest of him disagrees. The rest of him knows, easily, that Cas is not to blame. That small part might be more full of rage, a more easily accessible emotion, but it is not the right one to let overtake him.

 

Still, he wonders why Cas has approached him. Doesn’t he know that Dean is still angry with him? Doesn’t he know that Dean is trying to grieve for his mother, one that Cas has even seen since Dean last saw her?

 

He wonders in the back of his mind why Sam didn’t stop Cas, but it doesn’t matter. He’s here now, and staring him down, as if he wants Dean to make the first move.

 

When he doesn’t, Cas sighs.

 

“Did you mean it?”

 

“Mean what?” Sam’s staring at him now, over the angel’s shoulder. His face is curious- did _you mean it, Dean?_

 

“You know what,” Cas replies in that gravely tone he gets when he’s starting to become frustrated.

 

Dean stares at Cas, incredulous. Of _course_ he didn’t mean it. Hell, he’s said worse things to Sammy before- his own _brother._ He knows now that the blame is on all of them, not just Cas. Of _course_ Cas would never be dead to him.

 

_But Cas doesn’t know that. How would he?_

 

Sometimes Dean and Sam have their silent conversations, made up of gestures and facial expressions and subtle actions. Cas has adopted some of their techniques over the years, but never as well as the Winchesters. A look from Dean would never be enough for Cas to know how he feels.

 

Dean shakes his head. “I didn’t mean it, Cas.” He turns his face to the side, watching the pyre, the heat blowing in waves over his skin. “I would never mean that.”

 

Cas visibly relaxes, even out of the corner of Dean’s vision. It isn’t much of a conversation they’re having, but neither of them have ever been very good at that, even after an entire decade.

 

Sam’s no longer looking at them, which means he doesn’t see (or pretends not to) when Dean reaches out and places one hand on Cas’s shoulder. Squeezes. Maybe, just maybe, brushes his thumb delicately against his best friend’s neck.

 

No, Dean didn’t mean it. He would never. It startled him to think that Cas would ever think he might. There was only one way that Dean could ever convince Cas that he would never be dead to him…but he wouldn’t be prepared to show that side of himself to Cas. Not today.

 

For now, he pulls his hand away after a moment, eyes meeting Cas’s for a split second before he turns back to the fire.

 

And this time, maybe for the first time, Cas gets the message.


End file.
